ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · toast · race · track · season · calf · net · capital

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. season — in sport
  3. capital — money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. track — a song
  6. season — of the year
  7. net — after costs
  8. capital — a city
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. track — to keep track
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. track — a path
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. lean — to bend
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — in sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com